Chukotka Mountains

The Chukotka Mountains (Чукотское нагорье) or Chukotka Upland (Чукотская горная страна), is a mountainous area in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia.

The ridges of this system are largely barren and desolate. About half of their area is above the Arctic Circle. The climate is one of the harshest in the Russian Federation, with minimum absolute temperatures reaching -73°С. Traditionally Chukchi people lived only in few intermontane areas, such as the Amguema valley that cuts across the vast mountain zone.

Geography
The Chukotka Mountains are one of the two main mountain regions of Chukotka. They rise west and east of the isthmus area of the Chukchi Peninsula, in the central Chukotka region, bounded by the Anadyr Highlands in the southwest. They are composed of mountains of middle height displaying alpine relief, as well as low mountains. They stretch in roughly WNW/ESE direction for 450 km, between the head of Chaun Bay and the Bering Sea shore. The ranges of the northern area consist of sandstone and shale with granite intrusions, while those of the southern part are made up of volcanic rocks. The highest peak is Mount Iskhodnaya (Исходная) in the Chantal Range. which is 1843 m high — or 1887 m according to other sources.

Hydrography
Among the rivers that have their source in the mountains, the following deserve mention: the Amguema River with its tributaries Ekityki and Chantalveergyn, the Palyavaam, Pegtymel and Tanyurer of the Chukchi Sea side, as well as the Kanchalan and the Belaya River tributaries Bolshoi Pykarvaam and Bolshaya Osinovaya of the Pacific Ocean side. The largest lakes in the mountain area are Ekityki, Ervynaygytgyn, Yanranaygytgyn, Ioni, Pychgynmygytgyn, Medvezhye, Achchyon and Koolen.

There are 47 small glaciers in the ranges of the highlands, with a total area of 13.53 sqkm.

Subranges
The system of the Chukotka Mountains comprises a number of subranges, including the following:


 * Shelag Range, highest point 1105 m — the northwesternmost, reaching up to Cape Shelagsky.
 * Ichuveem Range, highest point 1030 m.
 * Ekvyvatap Range, highest point 1636 m.
 * Pegtymel Range, highest point 1794 m.
 * Palyavaam Range, highest point 1551 m.
 * Chantal Range, highest point 1887 m.
 * Ekityk Range, highest point 1317 m.
 * Pekulney Range, highest point 1362 m.
 * Iskaten Range, highest point 1335 m.
 * Ghenkanyi Range, highest point 978 m — the easternmost, near the Bering Sea.

Climate
The climate of the Chukotka Mountains area is severe, with short cool summers and very cold 8-month long winters where blizzards are common owing to the influence of both the Arctic Ocean and the Aleutian Low. The valley areas have a continental climate while the mountain ranges are under the influence of an oceanic climate, which is felt more in the lower altitude mountains and less in the medium-high ones.

Flora and fauna
The lower slopes of the mountains have tundra vegetation, often marshy in the intermontane basins, while the higher altitudes are Arctic desert. Rivers are abundant in fish.